With Friends like these
by Lydia2
Summary: Tag to Scorched Earth. Sam listens in on Jack and Daniel's conversation after the Gadmeer ship leaves to take the Enkarans home.


Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, obviously. It's a tag to the episode Scorched Earth.

Samantha Carter eyed her teammates, Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson as they stopped by the DHD to dial home. One thing she knew for sure was that they had a lot of talking to do. She was rather surprised by the serene look on her CO's face. He had a tendency to poker face when he was upset, which he should be after having almost blown up someone under his command. She wasn't an expert on what was going on in Jack's mind, which was far more complex and intelligent than most people realized, but she did know that his guiding principle was Ônobody gets left behind. With that in mind, she tried to unobtrusively listen in on the two men's conversation.

"Um, Jack? Daniel was rather confused. "Would you mind explaining why you decided to blow up the ship I was on?

"Hmm? Oh, that." Jack answered, sounding distracted. "I did that because I trust you.

Daniel choked. "Run that one by me again? You fired a bomb at the ship because you trusted me?! His voice became rather hysterical.

"Of course. I knew you had almost gotten through to that Lotan dude so I fired a bomb at a ship with much higher technology so you could convince him before he destroyed the gate and the Enkarans. I know you love to work on a schedule.

The linguist blinked rapidly as he tried to process this reasoning. "Let me get this straight. You trust me so you let me go up to a ship that was about to destroy the ecosystem of the planet we had just relocated a race of people to. Then you pressed the button to set off the unstoppable bomb you ordered Sam to make against her wishes/conscience/whatever. Then you waited calmly for me to convince a robot to go against its programming, stop the ship that designed it/him and you truly believed I would get through and survive.

"Exactly. I knew you'd understand. Jack ruffled Daniel's hair.

"Okay, just for the sake of my sanity, tell me your thoughts of the time in your own words, would you, please?

Jack rolled his eyes. "I was on the ship and I knew it was extremely advanced. I also knew that if anybody could convince Lotan to help us find a solution, it would be you. After all, you convinced me to live back on Abydos. So I thought if I encouraged him and you by setting off the bomb, the threat to the Gadmeer and to you would speed up the process by the right amount for the beaming device to take the naquadah bomb, which would be useless to the Enkarans anyway since you were finding a better solution for them, and send it someplace harmless. And of course since the naquadah generator would no longer be useful to them for heating like we intended it to be used for, they would have no choice but accept the alternate plans you were making for them.

Daniel did a lot more blinking. "Okay. Thanks. I think. But promise me something?

"Sure Dannyboy. You did a great job, you deserve it. Well, unless it's giving up beer, or watching the Simpsons. Or

"Jack. Just, next time, don't trust me quite so much, okay? No more blowing me up to prove how much you trust me.

"Aww, but that's no fun

"Jaaack!

"Alright, it's a deal.

"So what shall we tell General Hammond at the debriefing?

Jack shrugged. "Oh, the usual. I tried to blow you up, you saved the day and two alien races are happy.

Daniel smirked. "I prefer something more along the lines of ÔAnd so our brave heroÉ'" He stopped at the snort of the man next to him.

Jack struggled not to laugh. "Oh, you like ÔGeorge of the Jungle? I never would have guessed you for the type. And I had so planned on buying you that movie for you birthday to irritate you. Ah well, there's always ÔThe Mummy.

Daniel reddened. "Um, I've ran past it once on my way to the Discovery channel, Jack. That's all.

Jack nodded sagely. "Of course. So, have you ever wondered why three quarters of the time I've called you, it's been when you just happened along that movie? And the other quarter you missed a meal?

"Jack! You didn't! When did you set up a camera in my house? And how come I've never noticed?

The colonel sobered a bit. "Uh, back when you were in the nuthouse and I was feeding your fish. I set it up so I could make sure no one tried to break in.

"Oh. Daniel's voice was low, and dead serious.

"Yeah, so I set it up with a tiny wide range camera to see all possible entrances and your artifacts so none of them could be stolen. I just, never took it down again, and it's come in handy considering all the scrapes you've gotten yourself into, I must say.

Daniel nodded and then changed the focus a bit before Jack could wander back into depression at having not believed him. "So where did you get such a camera? I thought about setting up a security system after I started bringing home artifacts but none of the cameras would have covered enough territory and would all be clearly visible to intruders. He looked over at the older man.

Jack flushed and looked down, muttering something under his breath.

"Excuse me? I didn't quite catch that.

"I said, I made it.

"You-you made a security camera on your own that's better than any I could find in the store?

"Yeah. It wasn't a big deal, Daniel. Just drop it. In fact, that's an order. Don't tell anyone. You too, Carter, Teal'c.

Sam tried to look innocent. "Sir?

"Look, I'm sure this is all very fascinating, but none of this had better ever be mentioned back on Earth. Is that clear?

"As crystal.

"Then let's go home.

As Sam watched Jack dial Earth's code, she noticed Daniel reach casually into his vest for a moment as if scratching an itch. It was all she could do to keep a poker face as she wondered how long it would take for the word to spread. Of course, Daniel would probably wait awhile, but the information on the tape would eventually get out. Not the first part, naturally, he would likely just keep that to remind himself when he believed Colonel O'Neill had a low opinion of his worth on the team, but the end, well, oh to be a fly on the wall

"You coming, Carter?

"Yes, Sir. Home sweet home. They had done good work today.


End file.
